Lolas

Lolas is the plural form of Lola in Filipino usage, where Lola is the term for grandmother in Tagalog and other Philippine languages. In everyday speech, grandchildren commonly address their grandmother as Lola, and lola can also be used as a respectful, affectionate reference to elder women who hold a guiding or caregiving role in the family. The plural lola, together with English equivalents like grandmother or grandma, appears in discussions about extended families and intergenerational relationships in the Philippines and among Filipino communities abroad.

In cultural terms, lola figures are often portrayed as custodians of family history, traditions, and recipes. They may contribute to childcare, teach language and customs, and offer advice drawn from lived experience. The presence of lola in household life is frequently associated with storytelling, moral guidance, and the transmission of cultural values across generations. In diaspora communities, lolas can serve as a bridge to heritage and a stabilizing influence in families navigating different social environments.

Outside the Philippines, Lola is also a common given name and nickname in Spanish-speaking cultures, where it is often derived from Dolores. In those contexts, lola can refer to individuals named Lola, rather than to grandmothers specifically. Consequently, the term lolas may appear in multilingual discussions to denote either grandmothers in Filipino contexts or people named Lola in other linguistic communities.

For related uses, see Lola (disambiguation).